Rising Tide

Cassandra Fierce #1

by Molly Black

When an opulent yacht appears crewless off Miami's coast, brilliant Coast Guard investigator Cassandra Fierce is summoned to follow the trail of murder. Cassandra must outmaneuver peril at every turn as she discovers an operation bent on claiming more victims—including herself.

RISING TIDE is book #1 in a long anticipated new series by critically-acclaimed and #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Molly Black, whose books have received over 2,000 five-star reviews and ratings.

The Cassandra Fierce series delivers a pulse-pounding suspenseful thriller led by a complex and talented heroine. This gripping mystery series combines non-stop action with nail-biting tension, offering readers a roller coaster of shocking revelations and unforeseen turns. With its breakneck pace and addictive storytelling, these psychological thrillers are guaranteed to keep you engrossed until the wee hours. For fans of crime fiction writers such as Lee Child, Teresa Driscoll, and Rachel Caine, the Cassandra Fierce series is a must-read.

Future books in the series are now available!

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2024

About the author

Bestselling author Molly Black is author of the MAYA GRAY FBI suspense thriller series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the RYLIE WOLF FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books; of the TAYLOR SAGE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eight books; of the KATIE WINTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the RUBY HUNTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting), and of the CAITLIN DARE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Molly loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.mollyblackauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY MOLLY BLACK

GRACE FORD FBI THRILLER

NEARLY MINE (Book #1)

NEARLY SAFE (Book #2)

NEARLY FREE (Book #3)

NEARLY GONE (Book #4)

NEARLY HIS (Book #5)

CAITLIN DARE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

COME GET ME (Book #1)

COME FIND ME (Book #2)

COME TAKE ME (Book #3)

COME CATCH ME (Book #4)

COME SAVE ME (Book #5)

RUBY HUNTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

IF I RUN (Book #1)

IF I TELL (Book #2)

IF I LIVE (Book #3)

IF I FORGET (Book #4)

IF I RETURN (Book #5)

MAYA GRAY MYSTERY SERIES

GIRL ONE: MURDER (Book #1)

GIRL TWO: TAKEN (Book #2)

GIRL THREE: TRAPPED (Book #3)

GIRL FOUR: LURED (Book #4)

GIRL FIVE: BOUND (Book #5)

GIRL SIX: FORSAKEN (Book #6)

GIRL SEVEN: CRAVED (Book #7)

GIRL EIGHT: HUNTED (Book #8)

GIRL NINE: GONE (Book #9)

RYLIE WOLF FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

FOUND YOU (Book #1)

CAUGHT YOU (Book #2)

SEE YOU (Book #3)

WANT YOU (Book #4)

TAKE YOU (Book #5)

DARE YOU (Book #6)

TAYLOR SAGE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

DON’T LOOK (Book #1)

DON’T BREATHE (Book #2)

DON’T RUN (Book #3)

DON’T FLINCH (Book #4)

DON’T REMEMBER (Book #5)

DON’T TELL (Book #6)

DON’T HIDE (Book #7)

DON’T BLINK (Book #8)

KATIE WINTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SAVE ME (Book #1)

REACH ME (Book #2)

HIDE ME (Book #3)

BELIEVE ME (Book #4)

HELP ME (Book #5)

FORGET ME (Book #6)

HOLD ME (Book #7)

PROTECT ME (Book #8)

REMEMBER ME (Book #9)

CATCH ME (Book #10)

WATCH ME (Book #11)

Reviews

[Emma G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything was just a bit simple. The characters seemed to work things out very quickly, considering there was a human tragficking ring involved, and they got out of all dangerous situations with ease. Some of the dialogue between characters didn't seem authentic and was there to push the plot. Short read, but I wouldn't rush to read another.

[Jerry B · Rating 2 out of 5]

New to author Black and her Coast Guard Officer Fierce series, we found a somewhat straightforward plot about rescuing several women from a sex traffic ring and catching the culprits. Following the murder of a Guard undercover officer, an important mentor to Cassie in her early career, the part about her and her partner aboard one of the ships involved was so incredulous we had few high hopes for the rest of the relatively short novel that pretty much panned out as you might suspect. The protagonist's memories of a missing father lost at sea really added little to the tale. Not encouraged to seek further of her adventures.

[B Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Coast Guard Investigator Cassandra Fierce book # 1. Overall, I liked this book. But I felt there was something about the heroine, Cassandra Fierce, that just seemed a little bit "off" to me at times. Sometimes she came across as unsure of herself, although that may be true of real-life heroines, but I guess I was wanting her to be tougher. The last chapter was very moving. I will definitely try another book by this author. C. Sept 2024.

[Katie Lowis · Rating 3 out of 5]

No matter now exciting it was just took a lot for me to finish the book.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The picture and title of the book didn't match the story.

[Amy Bendura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book with good bones, but it needed more

The story overall was good and has the makings to be a great story, I just found that it was lacking research and depth in the chapter character transitions. In fact, I would forget who Emily was based on the fact that there wasn't any background before she was introduced outside of her memories. Cassie had and gave no real substance. Her flashbacks were better constructed, but as an introductory story, there should have been a bit more depth. I have no idea what drives her, though almost to the end, you get a vague sense.

Cassie and her partner Mick have a good humorous rapport with each other, but there aren't a lot of conversations in the book, with any of the characters. Just an enteral monolog that Cassie runs through.

The writer would flip flip between using the titles officer and agent, making it rather confusing and showing a slip in research. A quick internet search and the information it provided left so many holes in the story I continued to read.

It's wonderful to spread awareness to a military branch and civilian counterparts that tend unnoticed, but it lacks even basic research. The side arm they are issued is a Glock M19, and that's just a basic detail. The CGIS special agent workforce is composed of active duty military, reserve, and civilian personnel. All CGIS Special Agents are sworn personnel with powers of arrest and warrant service. All CGIS special agents have full arrest powers under Title 14, section 95 of the United States Code.

The active duty military component is composed of enlisted personnel, chief warrant officer, and commissioned officer investigator positions. The civilian component is composed of GS-1811-11 to SES criminal investigator positions.

The above are basic facts and didn't exactly track anywhere. I'm glad I found the book for free since I would've been very disappointed had I paid.

The story itself was good it just needed more. It was predictable and a very quick mindless read, took me 3 hours at most. I couldn't even really connect with the characters, I'd like to see if the writing and characters evolve, but I won't pay for the remaining books, maybe if my library has them I'll read them and hopefully can edit my review.

[Juno · Rating 3 out of 5]

No spillers ahead, don’t worry!

So I am eating it a 3 because it wasn’t bad, but it didn’t keep me there.

This was my first time reading anything by Molly Black and this book was free on Apple Books, so I decided to give it a go. I don’t write reviews often, but I would like to start to help with my own writing, reflections, and reading.

First things first, it is just a stereotypical crime thriller with some suspense, no huge plot twists and that’s that. The main protagonist, Cassandra Fierce, was pretty much what you would imagine is a Law and Order tv show main character was a Coast Guard Investigator. The hook of the book in the beginning and the lingering tension at the beginning of her case was good. Her partner Mick was funny and honestly was the star for most of the book. But other than that, just nothing super special. I didn’t really care for the random 2 chapters we got that changed perspective to show a new character (one of the victims) and what was going on over there. With mystery, crime, thrillers, I just want to be surprised, and I just wasn’t honestly. I don’t think I am going to pick up the other books, but I wouldn’t say this book isn’t for someone. I’m sure some that just does casual reads, or likes this specific genre above all, might have different thoughts or might like the story, but just not really for me.

[Laughrie B · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank god that's over.

Written with the knowledge of a satirical procedure show, there is zero logic of this case or why it's even being investigated. The guy who's killed in the beginning was an undercover agent who was "close to cracking it" therefore our two leads are brought in. This is not what undercover work is. There's a network of people involved. If the agent undercover is compromised it's not like the case has to start over from square one. Not according to this!

Our detectives are assigned, they inspect the murder scene, ask one person who witnessed an altercation where "Cuban people with guns" like to hang out (IN MIAMI, FLORIDA) they go there, ask another guy, and he points them to a warehouse where a lot of "illegal activities" happen, and that is a direct quote. They go, find evidence of crime being committed that links back to the guy who was killed... and then they felt the need to keep the story going! Guys, it's solved! You did it! END THE BOOK NOW, PLEASE!

Just the most paint-by-numbers "mystery" that I've ever had the displeasure of reading. Read my notes and highlights if you want to laugh. The amount of time wasted on repeated phrases, flashbacks, and repeated phrases, have driven me to drink.

[Cidney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cassie Fierce is a coastguard officer and is called out to an expensive yacht which seems to be drifting in the dark and nobody on board, until they open the toilet door and find a man shot multiple times lying by the toilet. They ring it in to Cassie's dept and she and her partner Mick drive out to look into it and then she discovers that the dead man is none other than the man who trained her, Robert Hayes. But how could he afford a yacht like this? He was working undercover to bust a drug ring that's how, and very close to retiring.

This isn't a bad book, goes on a bit, but they are looking into a very well established drug ring and it takes some doing to find the murderer of Hayes. It was okay but didn't leave me wanting to read any more in this series, am assuming it is a series!!

[Karen Beck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading this book was like staring at a photo and wondering why the person in it has six fingers on one hand. Eventually you come to the conclusion that it must have been created by AI. So many things just didn’t ring true. Descriptions were repeated; characters had simplistic, cliche reactions and repetitive internal dialog; at least one event was out of order, and a timeline toward the end didn’t make sense. For example, at one point, the main character is on a beach thinking about the two days left in her vacation yet suddenly, inexplicably, it’s time to pack up and return home. I had to flipping back pages to check that I hadn’t read that wrong. I suppose I should be impressed by how far AI has come, but ultimately it left me feeling cheat out of a good read.

[Courtney Donley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had potential and then immediately clocked out. The plot is so predictable I felt like I’d already read it in a group chat summary. Every “twist” shows up early, waves, and asks if you’re emotionally prepared (you are).

Cassandra Fierce is allegedly fierce, but mostly she’s just there, solving crimes with minimal struggle and maximum convenience. The danger never dangers. The stakes never stake. The tension is more of a polite suggestion.

Dialogue sounds like NPCs explaining the plot to each other for my benefit, and the whole thing feels rushed, undercooked, and weirdly confident about it.

Did I finish it? Yes.
Regret yes.
Also the AI audiobook narrator is 0/10

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes! Finally, I feel fortunate to have picked an enjoyable book. My 2025 reading picks have not been so great. This book flowed easy and kept my attention. It had peaks and valleys and a solid storyline. There really wasn't much of a surprise or twist, and the audio wasn't great, but compared to the other 30 or so books I've heard this year, this is one of the better ones.

A fast, easy listening, free book. 👍
Recommended
📚📚📚

[CK · Rating 1 out of 5]

I struggled to finish this book, the first book I’ve read by Molly Black. It will probably be my last. I found myself skipping over paragraph after paragraph, and not really feeling like I missed anything. The plot was predictable, the characters were predictable, and Cassandra’s constant and unnecessary thoughts of her parents added nothing. Conversations between characters seemed very contrived.

[Will Decker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. If an officer of any military branch ran an investigation or op the way Fierce did, they'd probably be court martialed, or at the least, run out of the service. The incompetence was so overwhelming it quenched any desire to read more in this series. The dialogue felt forced, the heroine weak and insecure, and the editing could use some work.

[Emalea Gravatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crimes on the High Seas.

While trying to find a murderer and his reason for killing their friend and fellow agent, Coast Guard detectives go undercover on a suspicious vessel and head out to sea. What they learned aboard the ship nearly cost them their lives but propelled them to do everything possible to stop human trafficking and save lives.

[Lou Bresettee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nautical terms?

As a former Coastguardsman I enjoyed reading this book. Having said that I feel the author's description of ship parts distracting. No military sailor would refer to bathrooms or restrooms or floors or staircases. Molly has probably been on ocean cruises but I doubt she's ever been aboard a Cutter.

[Leanne Pilkington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've given 'Rising Tide' 3 stars. It grabbed my attention; however, the lack of detail regarding nautical terms, along with the poor spelling and grammar, was frustrating. The writing felt rushed, and while the storylines had potential, they could have benefited from more depth and require thorough proofreading.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassandra Fierce is a Coast Guard investigator who along with her partner Donovan tackle a case that led to her mentor’s death. Lots of action and danger in this story. A sinister Russian smuggler is shipping drugs, auto parts and women. I’ve already downloaded book two because this one was so good.

[Barefoot Gypsy Jimerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good

So enjoyed riding the waves with Cassandra and Mick. Great story line Cost Guard a different take the the FBI norm. Really held together drone begin to end. Damn fine job Miss Black.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced and a great story. I liked the writer’s style although some of the dialogue seemed disjointed. A few typos towards the end of the book. I’m finding that a lot lately and wonder if that is just in the ebooks. It seems those things should have been caught during editing.

[Sharon Leff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast Read

Like a television hour of drama spent with a familiar law enforcer, this Coast Guard Officer Cassandra Fierce’s story unfolds. Lots of action and hints at looming back story push the plot.

[Cindy Graves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartwarming story but wishing the author would have taken the three different plots in this book and did separate books. As the reader I found hard to understand and leaving you with a lot of questions.

[Sav · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Rising Tide a lot! I liked the partnership between Coast Guard Special Investigators Cassandra Fierce and Mick Donovan and I was intrigued by the storyline. The plot focuses on their investigation into a large-scale human trafficking ring they believe to be operating primarily in international waters, which I thought was a really interesting concept. Suspension of disbelief is essential in reading this book, as the way in which the investigation itself unfolds is rather unrealistic. But again, I found the plot interesting enough and enjoyed the writing style enough that the unlikelihood of many of the events was easy enough to overlook. Looking forward to reading the next in the series!

TW: human trafficking

[Emilio Rey · Rating 3 out of 5]

No frills story about a Coast Guard agent trying to take down some human traffickers. easy to follow, easy to read, and has a satisfactory ending. its alright.

the one thing you can bet on with federal agents is that they shoot first, ask questions later.

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Pretty good book overall for a quick read. I did bump the rating down a little due to some of the phrases being used repeatedly throughout the book. Other than that, it kept my interest and had me wanting to read the next 6 in the series.

[Anaïs C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but not incredible, very easy to read. A bit of suspense, characters are a bit cliché and don’t really have a deep storyline (its the first book so it might be a reason). I dont think i’ll read the other books though

[Gisela Marengo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book .The suspense builds steadily, and the plot keeps throwing new complications into the mix, maintaining tension all the way through. The investigation and action are well balanced, I will continue the series.

[Donna Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome storyline, full of suspense 👍 😀 👏.

[Kristi Berland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Read

Hard to put down. Has your rooting for the heroine and makes your heart attack as it touches on human trafficking.

[Paul E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Super read! And it’s so nice to have a good novel featuring our US COAST GUARD. Don’t miss this one. And to all our Guarders: bRhanks for your service.